Transparent automobile top

ABSTRACT

A single piece, transparent, removable top for an automobile, the top replacing a two-piece opaque top separately attachable to two openings in the top of the vehicle separated by a longitudinally extending support bar. The top extends over the bar and is attached to it and at extreme four corners of the combined openings.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to removable automobile tops, and particularly toa single piece transparent top adapted to replace two side-by-sideopaque removable tops.

2. General Description of the Prior Art

One model of the popular Corvette manufactured for several years byGeneral Motors has a generally open roof which may be selectively closedby the user by means of two insertable roof sections, these roofsections being supported in the middle by a bar or support which runslongitudinally between a point just over the vehicle. Where the two sideroof sections attach to this bar, two grooves are formed which catchwater which sometimes leaks into the passenger compartment. In fact, thegrooves tend to act like funnels. Further, the existing roof topsections have an overall thickness of approximately 3 inches, whichsubstracts from the already fairly low height of this vehicle whichrestricts headroom.

It is the object of this invention to provide a new and improved topassembly for a Corvette which overcomes the above and otherdifficulties.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with this invention, a top is constructed to fit aCorvette using a single sheet of transparent plastic, such as thatmanufactured under the trademark plexiglass. It is contoured in thecenter to pass just above the longitudinal running supporting bar and isattached at six places, essentially at four corners to side locatedupright portions of the Corvette, and attached by brackets in the centerregion of the top, these being attached to the center bar. A gasket orgaskets extend around the inner periphery of the top, and by means ofthe attachment members, the top is pulled down against the periphery ofthe top opening of the vehicle and sealed by the resulting conformingdepression of the gasket.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of an embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a pictorial view illustrating the positioning of an embodimentof this invention on a vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring to FIG. 1, a sheet of transparent rigid plastic material of athickness of 3/16 to 5/16 inch is cut and formed into curved sheet 10.It is curved downward at each side 12 and 14 and at front edge 16. Whereturned down, the side edges are essentially straight, and the rear edge,while rising toward the center, would intersect a vertical planeextending from side to side. The turned down front edge 16 has curvedcorner regions 18 and 20 and is essentially straight in mid section 22.

Sealing gaskets around all four sides are of a generally triangularcross section, hollow, flexible material having a base of 11/2 to 2inches, a height of 1/2 to 1 inch, and a wall thickness of 3/32 to 3/16inch. The hypotenuse side of triangular-shaped gasket 24 is glued to theunderside of front edge region 26 of sheet 10, extending to points 28and 30. The base or shorter width side of the gasket provides a frontsurface which tapers rearward. Likewise, the hypotenuse side of reargasket 32 is glued to the underside of rear edge region 34 of sheet 10,extending to each side 36 and 38 of sheet 10. Its base is to the rearand it tapers forward. Side gaskets 40 and 42 are glued on their shortside to outer edge portions 44 and 46 of sheet 10 and extend fromtermination points 28 and 30 of front gasket 24 rearward to a pointadjacent to the rear side edges 48 and 50 of rear gasket 32. The sidegaskets seal against the top of side glasses 52 of vehicle 53, theforward gasket 24 seals against top rim 54 of the windshield of thevehicle, and rear gasket 32 seals against a rear upper portion 56 of thecompartment housing of the vehicle, just above the rear window of thevehicle (not shown).

Two bolt receiving pedestals or blocks 58 and 60 are glued to frontcorner regions of sheet 10 and are adapted to rest on pedestal supportsor brackets 62 and 64 of vehicle 53. A pair of supporting blocks 66 and68 are glued to rear corner regions of sheet 10. An arm 70 is pivotallysupported on each of these blocks, being pivoted about a generallylongitudinally supported axle 72. Each of arms 70 has a longitudinalslot 74 in which is supported an attachment block 75 by means of bolt 76and knob 78, bolt 76 threading into and thus clamping block 75 to arm 70at a selected position in slot 74. At rear corners 80 and 82 of vehicle53 there is positioned a ledge 84, over which blocks 75 extend to lockthe rear poriton of top 86 in position. Front blocks 58 and 60 arelocked in position by means of bolts 88 and 90 extending through holes92 and 94 in brackets 62 and 64 and threaded tight in blocks 58 and 60.

Four centrally positioned attaching blocks 96 are glued to sheet 10proximate to laterally extending openings 97 in bar or T-bar (as it iscalled) 98. A bayonet-shaped locking member 100 is insertable in eachsaid opening, locking member 100 being attached by means of bolts 102 ineach block. When so inserted and attached, the center region of top 86is effectively secured. With all eight attachment points secured, abalanced pressure is applied around the top to mating vehicle surfaces,and the leakage problem heretofore experienced is solved. Additionally,since top 86 extends over the top of T-bar 98, typically by 1/4 inch,and the thickness of top 86 is only on the order of 1/4 inch, there isprovided significantly greater headroom within the vehicle than thatexperienced with previous tops having a thickness on the order of threeinches, and having a top surface essentially flush with the top surfaceof T-bar 98.

Having thus described our invention, what is claimed is:
 1. A singlepiece removable top for an automotive vehicle adapted to cover twoopenings in the top of the vehicle separated by a longitudinallyextending support bar, said vehicle including ledges adjacent to theside rear corners of said openins, and said top comprising:a generallyrectangular sheet of transparent material being of a thickness of 3/16to 5/16 inch; said sheet extending concave downward to the sides andfront of said sheet; and attachment members secured to corner regions ofsaid sheet for attaching said top to said vehicle and two rear cornerattachment means, each including:a supporting block attached to the rearunderside of each rear corner region of said sheet, an arm rotablyattached to said block and oriented to rotate about a fore and aft, withrespect to vehicle, axis, and a second block rotably attached about afore and aft, with respect to vehicle, axis to each said arm, andincluding adjustable means for locking said second block at a selecteddistance above said arm and over a said ledge.
 2. An automobile top asset forth in cliam 1 wherein said top includes sealing means, in turncomprising triangular-shaped, base small with respect to height, hollowgaskets, said gaskets being attached by a side to said sheet andpositioned in a low profile position extending along the underside ofsaid sheet at the front and rear edges of said sheet, and attached by aside to said sheet and positioned in a high profile position extendingdownward on each side edge region of said sheet.
 3. An automobile top asset forth in claim 2 wherein the hypotenuse side of a section of saidtriangular-shaped gasket is glued to the front edge region of saidsheet, with base forward, to form a front gasket, the hypotenuse side ofa section of said triangular-shaped gasket is glued to the rear edgeregion of said sheet, with base at rear, to form a rear edge gasket, andthe base of said triangular-shaped gasket is glued to the underside ofeach side edge region of said sheet, said hypotenuse side being an innerside of the side gaskets.